Paving the way for climate-friendly mobility

In order to promote sustainable mobility in the Witten area, Witten/Herdecke University (UW/H) has purchased its own cargo bike, which employees and students can use free of charge. The electric bike was sponsored by Stadtwerke Witten and subsidised by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

"The UW/H has set itself the ambitious goal of being climate-neutral on the main campus by the end of 2025. In addition to energy and building management, mobility is a central building block," explains Dr Dirk Jakobs, vice president for organisational development at UW/H. "The cargo bike makes an important contribution to the climate-friendly transport of smaller and larger loads in Witten and the surrounding area. We would like to thank Stadtwerke Witten for their generous financial support in purchasing the cargo bike."

More than 50 car kilometres saved per week

The new bike can be borrowed free of charge by all UW/H employees and students in future, so that they can get around as much as possible. Facility Management and the Hochschulwerk can transport purchases in a CO2-neutral way or make deliveries to the various university locations in the surrounding area, and students can use the easy-to-manoeuvre, flexible vehicle for private and voluntary purposes at the weekend. The university's own cargo bike saves around 50 car kilometres per week; the additional switch to regional food also eliminates long transport routes by lorry. The impetus for the purchase came from the student body, and the UW/H team was advised on the choice of bike by the "Pottkutsche" initiative.

"We see the university as a pioneer of sustainable mobility," says Dr Annaliesa Hilger, Sustainability Manager at UW/H. "With the bicycle car park at the Holzbau, which was completed in October 2021, a low-cost bike leasing offer for employees and the job ticket, we promote the uncomplicated use of climate-friendly means of transport in the region. Further offers are already being planned."

For Stadtwerke Witten, promoting environmentally friendly mobility in Witten is a key factor in the energy and transport transition: "The campus is the ideal place for a cargo bike. Together with our charging stations for electric vehicles in the UW/H car park, we make it easy for all employees and students to switch to climate-friendly mobility," says Andreas Schumski, Managing Director of Stadtwerke Witten.

Further information on the UW/H mobility programme can be found at https://intranet.uni-wh.de/uwh-services/nachhaltigkeit/mobilitaetsportal.